Easy-chair



May 28, 1929. RN R 1,714,936

EASY CHAIR Filed July 24, 1926 INVENTOR fllbwn L. )Var/z er *4 ms ATTORNE l Patented May 28, 1929.

UNITED STATES 1,714,936 PATENT OFFICE.

ALBION L. WARNER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES LYON RUSSELL, OF RAHWAY, NEW JERSEY.

EASY-CHAIR.

Application filed July 24,

This invention relates to adjustable chairs, and has for an object to provide a drop seat easy or reclining chair in which the position and angle of the seat and the angle of the back are readily adjusted by the bodily movement of the occupant, and are returned to the upright position by means of suitable springs.

In the drawings accompanying this specification one practicable embodiment of my invention is shown, in which drawings Figure 1, is a front elevation of a chair embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the chair, some of the frame parts being removed andpthers shown in sections.

Fig. 3 is an underside view of F igure 1 and Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the back and seat adjusted into the rcclining position, the rear of the seat being in its dropped position.

The chair frame is shown having front and rear legs, 5 and 6, which legs are held together and supported by a front cross member, 7, and a back cross member, 8, together with upstanding side boards, 9, shown associatcd with the arm structures, 10. The arms at the back are connected at the top by a back supporting member, 11, which is carried by the upstanding portion, 12, of the legs. There is also shown a back board, 13.

The seat, 14, is of some suitable construction and covered in some suitable manner.

A back, 15, constructed to harmonize with the seat,'14, is shown normally resting against the back supporting member, 11, and hinged or pivotall connected at its lower portion to 'the rear 0 the seat, 14. In the present instance there is shown at each side a hinge having one member, 16, secured to the lower portion of the back and having an end pro- Jec ting forward and another portion, 17, secured to the rear of the seat, and the other portion projecting upwardly and bent slightly backward, these two members being shown pivoted at, 18.

The frame of the seat comprises a front board, 19, and a pair of rails, 20, running from front to rear and extending outwardly beyond the backboard, 21. These backward extensions, in the illustrative example,- are shown carrying rollers, 22, which when the chair is in the upright or Fig. 2 position, rest on the platform board, 8. In fact, a certain amount of adjustment of the seat and back 1926. Serial No. 124,583.

is permitted while the board, 8.

For the purpose of permitting major adjustments of the parts, track surfaces for supporting the rear of the seat in its forward movement are provided in the chair illustrated by a flap 8, hinged to the front edge of the board, 8. in the form of a single board.- Sp ring means for holding the hinged flap, 23, in its horizontal, or in its Fig. 2, position, is employed, in the present instance two coiled springs, 24, secured to the rear face of the front seat board, 19, at a little distance apart and converging are fastened to a sin le stud, 25, at the forward edge of the hinge flap or board, 23.

It will be seen that when the seat, 14, is moved forward a sufficient distance to bring the rollers, 22, past the edge of the fixed board, 8, they run onto the flap, 23,'and cause this to turn on its hinge against the action of the springs, 24, so that not only does the seat these rollers, 22, traverse slightly and its rear end drops.

Some suitable device, in the illustration a chain, 26, is secured to the main chair frame, 7, and to the front end of the hinged flap, 23, for limiting the backward movement of the track surfaces. with the chain 27 secured to the back of the seat and to the backboard 13 of the chair frame, prevents the downward movement of the back of the seat.

As a convenient means for hinging the board, 23, to the board, 8, and for attaching the chains, 26, to this board, there are emp oyed strap hinges, 28, screwed in position and having pivots, 29, at about the region of the joint between the boards. Hinges sufficiently lon r so that their forward ends, 30, may extend beyond the ed e of the flap, 23, have been selected so that chains, 26, may be secured in the forward or exposed screw holes of the hinges.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that when a person is seated in the chair, say in upright position illustrated in Figure 2, and, desires to assume a reclining position, he does not have to rise but by pressing against the back the upper portion of the back moves backwardly and the hinged track surface afforded by the seat is caused to move forwardly which permits the rollers to run upon the board, 23, which board bein controlled by the springs, 24, yields gra ually and The chain 26 in co-operation easily and permits the rear end of the seat and also the back to drop, the limit ofthe movement being controlled by the stop chains, 26 and 27. Although the drop movement of the back of the seat causes this to assume a more acute angle to the original position of the back, yet the forward movement or the amount of the forward movement of the seat has been sufficient to draw the lower end of the back forward and make the angle between the seat and the back greater in the reclining position. The parts are so constructed and organized that on the forward movement of the seat the rear portion is'lowered and the front portion is'slightly raisedyand on its backward movement these parts of the seat are returned to normal position, the angular distance between the seat and back increasing when the rear is so lowered. The distance which the rear of the seat is lowered and raised during such forward and backward movements being greater than the distance its front part is concurrently raised and lowered.

Although only one form of the chair has been illustrated, yet it will be obvious that various changes indetails of, construction may be had within the terms of the claims without departing from thespirit of the invention.

Having described my invention I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

.;, 1. In a drop seat chair, the combination with a frame, of a seat slidable forwardly and backwardly thereon while occupied by the user, a back hinged to the seat, and means for supporting the seat and constructed and adapted to lower the rear of the seat-and slightly raise the. front of the seat on its forward movement and to return these parts of the seat to normal position on its backward .movement, the angular distance between the seat and back increasing when-the rear is so lowered and forwarded, the distancethe rear of the seat is lowered and raised during suchj forward and backward movements being greater than the distance its front is concurrently raised and lowered.

2. In a chair, the combination with a frame having a cross-piece at the front and a crosspiece at the rear ends; member for supporting a back, of a seat resting upon the crosspiece at the front and movable forwardly and baekwardly, and a back hinged to-thei seat and resting against the back supporting member, the seat having at its rear rollersadapted to run upon the cross-piece at the rear, 2. flap hinged to the front of the rear cross-piece in the line of forward movement extensions adapted to rest upon the crosspieceat the rear, a fiaphinged to the front of the rear cross-piece and affording tracks" in the line of forward movement of the said extensions, and spring means tending to re turn the flap to normal position.

4. In a drop seat chair, the combination with a frame having a cross-piece at the front and a cross-piece at the rear, of a seat restinglpon the cross-piece at the front and movable forwardly and backwardly, and adapted to traverse the cross-piece at the rear, a flap hinged to the front of theurearcross-piece in POSltlOI'L' to be traversedby theJseat' iii its movements, there .being hinges sullici'ently long so that their forward ends may extend' beyond the edge of the flap exposing screw holes, and springs connected to the seat and to such exposed screw holes and tending to draw the seat backwardly and raise the fla p.

with a frame having a cross-piece at the front and a cross-piece at the rear and a member for supporting a back, of a seat resting upon the cross-piece at the front and movable forwardly and backwardly,and aback hinged to the seat andvresting a ainst the back sup-,

sions, and spring' means tendingto return the I front of the.

5. In a drop seat chair,.. the combination flap to normal position, and flexible means 7 for limiting the forward and downward movement of the seat.

I Signed at the city of New York, this 21st day of July, 1926.

" ALBION L. WARNER. i 

